Shoe



May 14, 1957 w. w. KILMAN 2,791,845

' SHOE Filed Dec'. 14, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M'llz'am wliizman ATTORNEYS May 14, 1957 w. w. KILMAN SHOE 2 Sheets Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1953 FIG. 4.

INVENTOR William MHz [man Wflm/P ATTORNEYS SHOE William W. Kilman, Portland, Ind. Application December 14, 1953, Serial No. 398,106

2 Claims. (Cl. 36-71) This invention relates to shoes, and more particularly to insole structure in shoes.

Modern day living and shoe design impose on the feet of man stresses and pressures for which they are illadapted. As a result, foot deformities, infirmities and ailments have become commonplace. Numerous improvements in design have been proposed, all with the general objective of supporting and strengthening the bone structure of the foot. I have discovered that foot health and comfort may be greatly benefited by proper support and structural provision for the muscles of the foot.

Those portions of shoes supporting the instep of the foot are commonly transversely flat, or substantially so. By reason thereof, the plantar muscle of the foot, or more exactly the superficial plantar muscle bundle, is not provided space for protrusion from the sole of the foot in natural fashion, but is constantly subjected to restrictive pressure, giving rise to fatigue, pain and more serious, permanent ill effects. The restriction of and unnatural pressure on the plantar muscle is most detrimental in high heeled shoes, which maintain the foot in an unnatural strained position, and necessitate that a disproportionate share of body weight be borne on the ball of the foot.

It is a principal object of the present invention, accordingly, to provide a shoe incorporating insole structure particularly adapted for the space accommodation of the superficial plantar muscle bundle of the foot. A related object is to provide novel shoe structure adapted to support and strengthen the muscle structure of the foot.

A particular object of the invention is to provide shoe insole structure formed and adapted to permit retention of flexibility and function of the plantar muscle of the foot, thereby fostering foot comfort and health. Further objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention and the novel features thereof will best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly sectioned along its longitudinal center line, of a typical high heeled womans shoe constructed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the shoe of Figure 1, with the insole lining partly removed to show the lateral elevated portions of the insole structure;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly sectioned along its longitudinal center line, of a typical mans shoe constructed according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the insole structure of the shoe of Figure 4, with the insole lining removed, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a typical womans high heeled shoe, including a conventional outscle 10, insole 11, upper 12, heel 13, and heel sling 14.

ited States Patent To attain the benefits of the present invention, the insole 11 must be adapted to provide a longitudinally extended concavity of width and depth suitable for accommodation of the superficial plantar muscle bundle of the foot. This may be accomplished by forming the insole with such concavity integral, but is more readily and preferably effected by attaching to the insole or forming on the insole lateral elevated portions 15, of wedge-shaped cross-sectional configuration as best illustrated in Figure 3.

The forward ends 16 of the elevated portions merge" smoothly into insole 11, extending substantially to the rear end of the metatarsal arch supporting portion '17 thereof, and the rear ends 18 of the elevated portions similarly merge smoothly into the insole, at the front end of the heel supporting portion 19 thereof. The inner meeting edges of the elevated portions may butt, or more conveniently may overlap to a limited extent as at 20."

The built-up insole structure may then be entirely covered, for comfort and appearance, bya conventional sock lining 21. H

The elevated portions 15 are desirably constructed of resilient material, such as orthopedic felt, cork, rubber or the like. As will be evident, they support the lateral segments of the instep of the foot, from the back end of the metatarsal arches to the front end of the transverse arch of the heel, in the vicinity of the transverse tarsal arch. The elevated portions define therebetween an elongated concavity 22, of length, width and depth suitable for accommodation of the superficial plantar muscle bundle. For such purpose, the concavity extends substantially from the metatarsal arches of the foot to the transverse tarsal arch, is of a depth of A inch or more, and somewhat greater width. Preferably, the width of the concavity is extensive, occupying a major portion of the width of the insole by reason of the wedge-shaped configuration of the elevated portions 15. The concavity 22 may be disposed substantially along the longitudinal center line of the shoe, but preferably is positioned more closely adjacent the inner side than the outer side of the shoe, in order to conform more accurately to the position of the superficial plantar muscle bundle.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate a typical mans shoe, conventional in all respects except for the incorporation of the insole lateral elevated portions 15. In the shoe of Figures 4 to 6, parts corresponding to those of the shoe of Figures 1 to 3 are identified by identical reference numerals. As in the former case, the elevated portions 15 incorporated in the insole of the mans shoe are positioned and shaped to define an elongated concavity 22 extending from the metatarsal arch supporting portion 17 of the shoe to the heel supporting portion 1 thereof. The concavity is of suitable depth, A1 inch or more, and greater width to suitably accommodate the superficial plantar muscle bundle. As is desirable, the concavity is disposed more closely adjacent the inner side than the outer side of the shoe.

As will be apparent, in shoes constructed according to the invention the instep of the foot is resiliently supported along the lateral segments thereof. Between the lateral segments of the instep, an elongated channel or concavity is provided to permit protrusion of the superficial plantar muscle bundle. In walking, then, as weight is shifted to the ball of the foot, and to the metatarsal arches thereof, the plantar muscle may protrude from the sole of the foot freely and without restraint, resulting in comfort to the wearer of the shoes and freedom from fatigue and foot ailments hitherto unknown.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by a w Patented May 14, 19571 of the above invention, all-without departing from the scope thereof,.it is to be understood that aILmatter-hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illiistrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1; Ina shoe, insole structure including two continuous, laterally-disposed elevated portions of a soft mate'- rial extending longitudinally from a pointimmediately'to' the rear of the first andfifth metatarsal heads of the foot to the heel supporting portion of the shoe suhjacent the rear portion of the astragalus -oscalcis articulation of the foot, said elevated portions sloping downwardly and inwardly from their laterally outermost regions to define therebetween an uninterrupted longitudinal con cavity of length',:width anddepth suitablet'or' accommodatidn-of the superficial plantar muscle bundle of the foot, said elevated portions joining each other in an intermediate longitudinal region extending throughout a substantial part of their lengths, the material ofsaid elevated portions providing a cushioning layer extending completely transversely between said'elevated portions throughout the entire length of said intermediate longitudinal region, and the insole forwardly of said elevated portions being substantially fiat.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein the material of the elevatedportionsis overlapped in the intermediate longitudinal region.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 916,715 Kato Mar. 30, 1909 1,013,992 Foster Jan. 9, 1912 1,271,468 Hill July 2, 1918 1,281,987 McSweeney -Oct. 15, 1918 1,727,244 McNifi Sept. 3, 1929 1,778,002 Richardson 2;. Oct. 7, 1930 2,081,474 Burns May 25, 1937 2,224,642 Burns Dec. 10, 1940 2,446,448 Whitman Aug. 3, 1948 2,458,501 Burford Jan. 11, 1949 2,468,264 Katz et a1 Apr. 26, 1949 2,600,864 Fuller June 17, 1952 2,660,814 Ritchey Deci 1, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 276,991 Great' Britain Mar. 8, 1928 1,004,501 France Mar. 31, 1952 

